Real estate firm loses P.5M in cash, items to 3 burglars

CEBU, Philippines - More than half a million in cash and valuables were taken by three unidentified burglars who broke into the office of a real estate development company along Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Cebu City Monday dawn.

Nexland Estate Ventures Inc. manager Tessa Ozoa immediately reported to the Theft and Robbery Section after finding out later in the morning that their office was burglarized.

The three culprits were captured by the closed-circuit-television camera on the third floor of Forum Building where the firm is renting.

However, according to Senior Inspector Rolito Supatan, the TRS chief, it was hard for them to identify the three men since one of them was wearing a hood jacket while the other two were wearing a bull cap.

He added that the culprits also noticed the CCTV camera and tilted it to another direction so that it did not entirely capture the thievery.

“Kadyot ra g’yud kaayo. Kung wa pa ‘to giliso, makuha g’yud unta ‘to tanan nilang gibuhat,” said Supatan.

Supatan said it appears that the burglars did not have a local contact in the office since it was shown in the footage that they were testing some offices that could be easily penetrated.

When they reached Nexland, it was seen that the burglars were able to detach the glass on the door and once inside, took the items.

Items stolen include expensive cameras, camera lenses and gadgets of the employees as well as the company’s P42,700 cash. All items stolen amounted to P510,000.

Ozoa, Supatan further said, suspected that the security guards of the building was sleeping at the time of the burglary as she had already noticed them sleeping when she went out of the office.

“Mga alas onse kuno ana, giingnan pa niya ‘ayaw mo pangatog kay kamo ra’y bantayan sa mga kawatan.’Unya mao na‘to pagkakadlawon,” said Supatan.

Supatan said they are waiting for the copy of the footage of the CCTV at the lobby that could have possibly captured the burglars. — (FREEMAN)